


The Opposite of Talking

by Der_Jemand



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Gen, Pre-OT3, maybe? - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-12
Updated: 2016-01-12
Packaged: 2018-05-13 11:08:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5705431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Der_Jemand/pseuds/Der_Jemand
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rey and Poe meet at Finn's bedside and, thankfully, they don't talk much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Opposite of Talking

**Author's Note:**

> Everyone has written this scene by now, right? - Good. Anyway, have my take at it. ;)
> 
> The title is from a quote by Fran Lebowitz: "The opposite of talking isn't listening. The opposite of talking is waiting."

The med bay was quiet as usual, just the faint buzzing and beeping of the machines running, observing, keeping alive. It was a calming sound, Rey thought.

She came here as often as she could. Not because of the quiet, of course, well, not solely for that, but because she needed to see Finn. She needed to be there when he woke up, couldn't bear the thought of him being alone. Again. And maybe couldn't bear the thought of being alone herself, but that was ridiculous, for the first time she could remember, she _wasn't_ alone.

Maybe that was the point. Or maybe not. Carefully, she closed her hand around Finn's, gave it a little squeeze.

_Come with me._

She didn't say it, didn't want to interrupt the silence.

Someone behind her cleared their throat. Realistically speaking, it was a faint sound, but she jumped, the hand that a second ago had cradled Finn's at the lightsaber hilt.

She didn't recognize the guy standing in the door way without the orange flight suit and his eyes wide open with surprise. “Sorry,” he said. “I don't think we've met properly, yet.”

She grabbed the hand he extended with a subdued smile. “Poe. Poe Dameron.”

 _Oh._ Of course, that name was familiar. She'd heard Resistance officers mutter it during planning sessions. General Organa had used it as a swear, once. BB-8 beeped it incessantly. Finn had smiled ridiculously wide when saying it.

“Nice to meet you.”

“And you.”

They stared at each other for a moment. Or two. Rey was tempted to ask him what he was doing here, but really, there weren't that many possibilities.

„Thank you for completing my mission,“ he said finally. _And for bringing back Finn_ , Rey heard somewhere in the way his eyes locked on the boy's face. She didn't quite understand why she heard it or why he didn't say it, but, eventually, she just smiled. „Think nothing of it.“

He nodded slowly, maybe because he'd actually heard the unspoken _How could I not?_ , maybe because that was all they had to say to each other. Either way, it was good. The silence between them and Finn on his bed and the buzzing machines, it was good.

 

In the few days Rey had before she was scheduled to leave with the _Falcon_ , to go and find _Luke Skywalker_ , to run after a legend and become one herself in the process, it became sort of a pattern. 

Every free minute in between planning and plotting and preparing, she spend at Finn's bed side, half of those in the silent but oddly comforting company of Poe Dameron.

He made a habit of bringing drinks from the mess hall for her, and she shared the fruits Chewbacca brought over in regular intervals. He didn't talk about how she was supposed to be bringing back Skywalker and she didn't ask about the rumors that Ren had broken into his mind. They draped a blanket over the other when they inevitably found them asleep in the single chair the room had to offer.

It was good.

Only, of course it wasn't. Rey could see how Poe twitched in his sleep and she had little doubt that he knew about her nightmares as well.

And Finn still wasn't awake.

 _He will be fine_ , the med droid had promised them again and again. _He just needs time._

Time they didn't have. Time that ran out quickly until Rey had to leave, follow that map, see where it lead her.

“I can't go,” she told Finn. “I need to stay.” _I need to wait_ , she didn't say but of course, that was what this was about.

“You need to leave,” Poe said softly, looking up to her from blood-shot eyes.

“I know. But I can't.” _I can't leave him. I have to wait for him. He's everything I've got._

Poe nodded, like maybe he understood. “I can wait for you.”

“But...” There really was no but, was there? Her hand fell down to the lightsaber, fiddling with the cold metal. “You will?”

“Of course.”

She nodded. “Good.” Of course it wasn't. But it was the best she could get. She had been waiting way too long already.

“I'll... just go outside for a sec. Catch some fresh air.” _Give you time to say good-bye._ He knew he didn't need to say it and she smiled gratefully because she couldn't have stand hearing it.

The door closed behind him with a low hiss and Rey turned back to Finn.

 

Poe was waiting for her at the end of the corridor, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed in front of his chest. Rey raised an eyebrow at him and he grinned, wide, friendly, infectious.

“Take care of him.” She had to smile back.

He fell into step with her, walking her outside, not saying anything.

It was good. Good enough.


End file.
